ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by exploring children’s and families’ very first experiences of school, emphasising the importance of a warm, welcoming environment and positive communication with everyone. Then it follows a wide range of issues that may arise throughout the primary phase of education with approaches rooted in positive psychology and emotional literacy. This includes the identification of special educational needs, friendship, family conflict, loss, trauma, and other adverse childhood experiences. Behaviour is often a concern for teachers as children respond to these challenging issues in their lives and the chapter affirms the effectiveness of a relational approach rather than one based on rewards and sanctions. The ASPIRE principles of agency, safety, positivity, inclusion, respect, and equity are discussed, firstly as a pedagogy for safe, strengths-based and solution-focused social–emotional learning and then as a framework for student and school wellbeing. Throughout the chapter, the focus is on how schools need to mirror and promote healthy child development, including growing independence, supporting children to have a strengths-based self-concept, positive connection with others, having fun together, and confidence in learning.
